“I wanted to say a big thank you on behalf of my family. With your help, we gave my dad a service that was elegant and dignified. He would have loved it. You have a wonderful gift; you made a difficult task feel manageable with just the right amount of guidance.” 

If you are looking for a celebrant willing to do everything possible to help you pay your last respects and celebrate a life in a very personal and meaningful way- you have landed in the right place.

I had been to many funerals in my life, for all sorts of people and reasons, before I needed to organize one in my own family. The celebrant I found (now retired sadly) opened my eyes to what a truly great and worthy funeral could be like, and made me want to become a celebrant myself. In my work, I am always grateful for that amazing inspiration and example; and am so happy to be, we could say, ‘paying it forward’. 

A good celebrant (also known as an officiant) understands how difficult things can be when you are grieving and that arranging a funeral is an extra worry on top of everything else. As soon as you get a celebrant on board to help, the load will lighten for you in many ways.

I’m always happy to chat, and you’ll soon know if I feel right for you: feel free to call 07957 367 774, or email me at sam.reagan@humanistceremonies.org.uk

“Absolutely amazing Service-we knew after meeting Sam that we were in good hands. Sam has a natural skill of putting all the information together and presenting it in such a way that you felt she had actually known the person. The whole family were so happy with the service.”

“Sam was very friendly and easy to deal with in such a sad time. She took great care in understanding the detail of my grandmother’s life to the extent that 80% of attendees later contacted me to say how they felt it touched them personally, as the details were so relevant to their memories. Sam’s voice and presentation was perfect and it made for a very respectful and personal goodbye to an exceptional lady.”

“Just wanted to say thank you for all your help, support & guidance over the last few weeks- your Eulogy was beautiful and a perfect tribute. Thank you so much for everything Sam- we couldn’t have done today without your love, kindness and support”

Confidence in your celebrant that there will be a good funeral service, can make the day feel much less stressful and can give comfort to you. A good celebrant will ease the way for you: reading out for you or putting into words, the things that need to be said on the day, perhaps even words that are too hard for you to say yourself. Whether it is words or music, a mixture of both or something more modern, such as a visual tribute of family photographs set to favourite music, a celebrant who knows the venue can help, and advise you how to make the most of every option available to you there. No-one need worry or dread a funeral service. 

“I and the family were so impressed by your in-depth eulogy for my husband, and some of the people there actually thought you were a family friend! I have taken out a funeral plan with Dignity, as I was impressed by the whole way that the funeral was conducted as were a great number of my friends, who said they hadn’t been to such a “happy” event of that kind ever. Would you consider being the celebrant for my funeral, whenever that may be, if you say Yes, I’ll add it to my instructions.”

“The whole family were so happy with the service. Sam was very professional but also compassionate and went the extra mile every step of the way. Nothing was too much, and details were double checked. Can’t recommend her enough. Made a terrible day beautiful.”

You can contact me before you contact a Funeral Director or afterwards, even while you are waiting for a date. I am a full time funeral celebrant and can be very flexible on the timing of our first meeting: which I hope will be in person, unless you need it to be online for any reason. I place no time limit on the time we spend together at that meeting: I stay until you are happy with the plan, before I start work on the service for you. I also keep in touch with you regularly right up to the day of the funeral: helping you with any Order of Service booklet and liaising with your Funeral Director along the way. My fees, based on the service length, are laid out very clearly on my Prices page, and are no different whether you contact me first, or ask your Funeral Director to contact me. To see them click here

Families often turn to me again after I first helped them, knowing they can trust and count on me to see them through, in tough times. My goal is to prepare a service celebrating the life of the person who has died, and what was most meaningful for them and to you. The services I write are inclusive to everyone religious or not: memories are for everyone.

If you came here looking for help to plan your own funeral service: I can help you too: please click here for more information

Beyond what I say, it is what the families I have worked for think of me that is my best recommendation to you: throughout this page, all of the messages of thanks come from families themselves, are very recent and are updated regularly. 

ABOUT ME

I’m mad about music, my cats, my garden and golf, and was a very busy professional musician before becoming a Funeral Celebrant. I have a positive, straightforward outlook on life and although I work very hard, I enjoy my downtime: listening to new as well as favourite things, and going to the theatre when I can. I would not like to be without music in my life. My cats please and amuse: one never liked it when I practised at home myself and would leave for the garden immediately; the second always loved it and used to come and sleep beside me while I worked. Fortunately, neither of them seem to mind the stereo. I’ve travelled a lot in my life and have a picked up a little of several languages, some more so than others- it is a little joke with friends and family that I can read a menu in about 12 languages.

Funeral services written individually every time, are what I do, and I love to take great time and care over them. Firstly, I need to listen: to hear about you and about the person you have lost and about any ideas you already have for the service: we start there. There are so many ways to create a well-deserved send-off and I will find the one that seems the best for you and your family.

“I didn’t want to let this day pass without saying a huge thank you for being an amazing celebrant, and everyone afterwards at the wake was in awe of how well you came across. I feel you got to know my family and especially my mum really well. I can’t thank you enough, and if you have a website, I can give you a review, I would like to give you one that will be fitting for your outstanding work.”

“Sam was an exceptional celebrant. She listened carefully to everything the family said. Sam’s words, particularly at the graveside were just beautiful. She really helped us to create a beautiful ceremony”

I specialize just in Funeral Services (Cremation, Burial and Ashes Interments) Memorial Services (a bit more like remembrance services, held when it was difficult to get everyone together to remember at the original time of the loss)  and Pre-Needs Services (which is making plans for a service for someone who wants to take care of all the details before they die) and am available throughout London and Kent.

“I shall forever be grateful for all the hard work, care and attention you showed in helping me with mum’s funeral service.”

 

 

“Sam was consummately professional and proactively scaled down both the quantity of work, and the fee she charged, because she felt that the situation in which I had placed her meant she had less work to do than usual. Her input was worth every penny in terms of the degree of confidence that she brought me, which was exactly what I wanted. Highly recommended.” (appreciation from a spouse,  who had already begun to arrange a family run Memorial Service, and who just needed a little bit of professional input to make the day secure)

If you are making arrangements for a Pre-Paid funeral, it is worth thinking about making a plan for the service too: either a simple outline or in full. It can be a great help to your family or anyone else who is arranging your funeral to know your wishes, and to have them easily available when that sad time comes.  I can offer Accredited Pre-Needs Funeral Service Planning: please click here for more details.

© Sam Reagan 2021, updated November 2024